Some games can be difficult. Some are just hard to get established in, while others make no secret of requiring a long-term commitment.

Unfortunately, I have a limited amount of time to devote to the gaming world, so not all games get the attention I would like to give.

Call me hard to get, whatever, it is just the way things have to be at this stage of my life.

With that being said, I’d like to give brief reviews on a few noteworthy games that I just can’t completely commit to right now.

Lost Planet 2

A first-person shooter, this game to me seems to have a ton of unrealized potential.

Its biggest drawback is also its biggest appeal.

This offering from Capcom is basically an online only game. On one hand, this is great as online group play is hard to match for uniqueness. The downfall is if there aren’t enough players available, the pickings become rather slim.

It wasn’t uncommon to be sitting for several minutes while waiting for other players to join in.

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However, once whisked through the online porthole, Lost Planet 2 is impressive.

The game action is high-end and unique, and the game does continue on auto pilot for any live players that drop out.

There are a variety of game-play options that I had not yet experienced in similar games, and herein lied the appeal.

However, the limited online following holds it back.

Clash of the Titans

Any fan of the movie will appreciate this game as it follows a fairly similar path.

I usually don’t have high expectations for games that are paired with movies, but the developers did a good job of coming up with a solid effort.

There was an air of resemblance to the God of War series, but it would not be accurate to give it the same credit. They just aren’t on the same plain of overall quality.

Still, the game does have a certain charm of riding along the same story line as movie, and I think fans will recognize that. It’s a tad vivid, but I could see it appealing to a younger genre, while probably not the challenge more experienced gamers are looking for.

Sid Miers Civilization V

This is the long-term relationship I referred to earlier.

The popular series that started in the early 1990’s, is more for the gamer that prefers to not play the field as much. Someone who likes to hunker down and spend months, even years, with just one game.

Ok, enough with the bad puns, but you get the idea.

Civilization is basically the chance to play God. To build a world from the very basics of creation and watch it flourish or flounder.

There is a reason this is the fifth installment of the series, and because of which, it doesn’t need much hype. Obviously, it is slated for a more mature user, but I could envision a young adult getting great satisfaction. The video below gives a nice summary all it offers.

I will soon be providing an holiday shopping guide for all the assets that have come my way over the past two months.

Included will be the Xbox 360 Kinect, and Call of Duty, Black Ops. Probably two of the most anticipated offerings of the holiday season.

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A&E reporter John Wenzel has covered a variety of topics for The Denver Post over the years, including video games, comedy, music and the fine arts. He's been playing and loving video games since his dad brought home a sweet ColecoVision in 1983. Catch him on PSN as beardsandgum.

Hugh got his start writing for the Cheyenne and Woodmen Edition newspapers in Colorado Springs. In 2011 he moved to Denver where he has written for Denver Urban Spectrum and Colorado Community Media’s Wheat Ridge Transcript. Hugh joined The Denver Post in 2014 as an editorial assistant.